High emotion and plenty of butt-kicking saturate this finale of one of the best action series of all time. Hardcore nutball Xena fans have doubtless already seen this episode and will want to revisit it, but casual viewers may want to get up to speed with the Xenaverse before watching (or else they'll miss out on a few seasons' worth of emotional resonance). In their...
Read moreHigh emotion and plenty of butt-kicking saturate this finale of one of the best action series of all time. Hardcore nutball Xena fans have doubtless already seen this episode and will want to revisit it, but casual viewers may want to get up to speed with the Xenaverse before watching (or else they'll miss out on a few seasons' worth of emotional resonance). In their final adventure, Xena (Lucy Lawless) and Gabrielle (Renée O'Connor) travel to the Land of the Rising Sun to clear up a bit of Xena's dark past and defeat both personal and tangible demons. Their quest, packed with action sequences, of course focuses on Xena and Gabrielle's evolving relationship. Producer and series co-creator Rob Tapert directs, giving the show some eye-popping moments and a quick homage to his Evil Dead movies. The weighty finality of the show means that it's missing some of the series' trademark sense of humor, but some fun still sneaks in around the edges. Lawless and O'Connor give excellent performances, and Joseph LoDuca's music, as it should, sends us off. Whether or not you agree with the way the series ends, you'll want to own this one. --Ali Davis
